SACRIFICE

READ: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)

Dawn of December 12th, I dreamed of myself again near the shore. I can’t remember the details but what’s clearly injecting my senses is the yellow italic letters which formed the word “SACRIFICE”. I was lying flat on the ground when the words appeared in the sky above me. There were other words above it but it’s vague. That word as I remember was strikingly emphasizing itself, being highlighted from the rest of the words. What does that mean?

Dawn of December 11th, I dreamed of myself on a huge ship. The ocean is so calm and there were few passengers on board. When we’re about to disembark, I and my sister were arguing who to go first since we found out that the bridge connecting the ship and the port was extremely fantastic. It’s made of metal with horizontal iron bars but what made us so skeptical was to see its design. Aside from the wide gaps between each bar, the bridge itself mustn’t be designed for foot but for the back and butt where you really need to master the art of gliding. Yes, that bridge was a slide which could either wreck your backbone or bruise your skin against the railroad. When you’re sliding on it, it’s like you’re riding in a roller coaster without any open passenger cars. Ouch! I can still feel the pain when my sister pushed me to glide on it.

Climax: I was so unwilling to slide fearing the height plus the pain it could cause me, so my right hand was gripping over one of the steel bars. The horror starts when my right hand would be cut off if I won’t give in. So finally, I let go and slide down leaving my sister behind until I woke up. This dream seems so good to be true up to this day since I and my sister had created our own bridge of conflict (just a childish and nonsense fight).

It was just so amazing when one of my colleagues told me about her dream which happened on the same day I dreamed and which was closely similar to mine. Her dream is like this: She was on board the ship with lots of passengers on it. She saw in the sky shades of yellow, red, blue and green which as she understood represent nation’s flag. That nation would attack our country in a form of war. Then she saw some close vessels for people to be slaughtered as SACRIFICE and that sacrifice includes her. She almost cried while narrating her dream.

Dawn of December 13th, I dreamed of myself inside a house where my mom and several elderly were present. My eyes were glued on the sofa which has red pillow cases. Then later, it was arranged by an old woman. She filed it up like a tower reaching almost the ceiling. Green, blue, and yellow pillows were inserted between red pillows. I was surprised to see the old woman sitting on top of the pillows she just piled up that formed a tower. It takes guts of any person her age to do such thing. She might lose her balance, fell on the floor and hurt herself. Somehow, I decided to ignore that scene when my mom entered the house with another old woman. I greeted her, “Hey mom, who’s she?” referring to the old woman in yellow blouse. My mom replied while looking for someone, “Who?”

To conclude, she herself knew she’s just walking alone and that I myself am the only one who could see the woman wearing a yellow blouse. Then, little by little, the old woman was fading before my eyes. Goosebumps!

Dawn of December 22nd, I dreamed about the Philippines. I was facing a very beautiful breath-taking scenery where waterfalls and foliage abound. I was trying to climb using an elevated ladder to witness the captivating picture in front of me when suddenly I felt my post shaken.

Next scene. I was with an unknown family inside an unknown house waiting for food (relief goods) when we heard that troupes of American soldiers arrived bringing with them state of the art equipment and facilities that left us all in awe and fear. We fear from their power. We knew that the sooner the help is brought in, a powerful nation will set our country under them leading us into captivity and destruction. Then I woke up from that dream.

What’s with the color yellow?

Yellow is the symbol of bringing back democracy in the Philippines which was led by the late president Aquino against late president Marcos’ martial law regime. Since yellow is the favorite color of the late president Aquino, the people also have been wearing the same as to show support to her administration. Her son who’s our president at present also pins a yellow ribbon on his barong Tagalog suit to show his being pro-people power president. But I don’t think yellow ends its symbolic nature there. It’s not just with the nation’s unity as to how the people power or Edsa Revolution proved that nothing is impossible if we work together hand and hand. After typhoons and earthquake hit our land causing too much devastation, yellow is a wake up call. A sacrifice must be offered and that is to sacrifice our own selfish will, wants and needs to offer help to the much needy.

MEDITATION: I realize that as I continually read the scripture day by day, the more I get to know God and understand His ways and thinking. I started reading the New Testament from John, Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts down to Revelation consecutively. Next, I read the Old Testament in reverse from Malachi up to Genesis. At first, I thought either I might confused myself or probably would miss the time frame of the stories which could affect the chronological order of the events. But on my surprise, it hadn’t. It’s like reading a novel with different series and volumes; with different authors but with only one publisher—that is God. Likewise, what made the books in the bible common and unique is that it was guided by the Holy Spirit as its copyrighter.

History repeats itself. Each book relates each other. The more I read the scripture, the more I find His majesty, sovereignty, faithfulness and just. God is in total control of everything from appointing earthly kings and leaders to calling out battles and winning.

Who said reading the bible is confusing and boring? Then you can start reading it now so that you can refute yourself. Also, unmindful of the date when it was first published down to the date it was written by the Lord’s servants, the bible is the most updated historical book. Its stories are so applicable and relatively identical up to this moment.

The more I read the scriptures, the more I long to feel the Lord’s presence and seek His face and the happier I become and fulfilled. Now I understood that the happiest moment of our life is not when we’re so blessed with accomplishments or fulfilled with our earthly desires. The happiest moment is when we’re so down because there we can find peace and rest. The Lord God said, “Come to me all of you who are troubled and I will give you rest.”

And, the more you asked for answers, the more and quick the revelation appear. However, it couldn’t be possible if you lack prayer. Prayer is our communication with the lord. Since the enemy is working day and night in order to snatch us, we must call on our father to deliver us everyday because not all our eyes see and our ears hear are true.

Awhile ago, my mom phoned me after she found out that I’ll be travelling in her hometown tomorrow in an island which is three-hour travel by ship to spend the new year holiday. She discouraged me not to go thinking the typhoon might affect our travel. She worried too much. I appease her telling we have a big and powerful God so don’t worry. However she didn’t stop discouraging me telling, “It’s so far and there is a whirlpool in the middle of the sea that causes big wave..and the typhoon is on TV being broadcast nationwide…”

After hearing her humanly perceptions I can’t say anything but this “”Mom, it seems you worry too much. If you worry, it means you doubt the power of God to protect you from harm. For human, it’s impossible but with God nothing is impossible. Let’s walk by faith and not by sight.”

On Sacrifice

Finally, I can’t depart from you without telling you that the word sacrifice in my dream and my colleague’s dream might be literal or figurative, but there’s something deeper in me telling me that the day is yet to come. When God sacrifice His only begotten son as a payment of our sins and when Abraham offered his son Isaac, it creates us an impression that sacrifice is holy, unselfish, humbleness and powerful. For the sacrifice of Abraham resulted into winning God’s favor and the sacrifice of Jesus results into an everlasting freedom from the bondage of sin and death since “The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 6:23